Editor's Letter.

Judging Beauty

When I got the offer to be a judge on America's Next Top Model, I considered doing it. For about a minute. Then my head filled up with reasons why I shouldn't. The idea of being on a tribunal with Tyra Banks and the sharp-tongued Janice Dickinson made me pause. As did the thought of commenting week after week on the show's odd mix of runway high jinks and oblique stunts: The girls must dangle on a rope over a hole, throw together outfits from one another's closets, consult with a personality coach and a psychic advisor. As much as I believe in the need for models to conquer their fear of holes, I knew I could never repress the urge to scowl and roll my eyes at the goings-on, and I'd end up with the title "America's Top Bitch." Most of all, I don't like to judge people only for their beauty. Even here at Allure, I don't meet with models when they come to be considered for future photo shoots. I don't want to look them over and issue some pronouncement. Besides, it doesn't matter how attractive they are when they're standing under the fluorescents; only the pictures count. And choosing a picture, the work of many hands, the expression of an ideal, is a much more pleasant task. America's Next Top Model believes in personality coaches and an edgy attitude. But I can tell you, these don't make a lick ...